Judge Again Turns Down NFLPA's Collusion Claim Against The NFL

A Minnesota federal court for the second time in less than two months turned down the NFLPA’s collusion claim against the NFL. Ruling Friday afternoon, Judge David Doty said his initial ruling turning down the claim achieved the right balance and there was no reason to continue with the claim. The NFLPA alleges the NFL engaged in a secret salary cap in '10, but Doty ruled on Dec. 31 the '11 dismissal of the settlement that had governed labor relations between the two parties had ended the union’s right to bring the claim.

The union then argued that the league had not been forthright in getting the NFLPA to agree to that dismissal, so the claim should be allowed. But Doty ruled, “The court concludes that declining to reopen the matter achieves the appropriate balance between bringing litigation to a close and satisfying the equitable principles of Rule 60(b).” Rule 60b refers to the portion of federal law that the union had cited to re-open the case. The NFLPA has already appealed the original Doty decision to the 8th Circuit court of appeals, but had asked that court to stay the case until Doty ruled again. It now would seem likely the union would rescind that stay motion at the appeals court.